Inside the Envelope

Some of the most effective ways of communicating value don’t require looking up a website or downloading a mobile device teaser program. In fact, non-digital marketing activities win over corporate clients regularly without ever needing to be plugged in. Here are five of them. 1. Business Cards Yes, those traditional business cards are still winners. Business cards provide critical contact information and enough detail on how to connect with an organization quickly. Whether by email, text, phone, or mail, the info on a business card is powerful. People love business cards because they are easy to transfer, pack, save, and reference. In the corporate world, business cards still resonate. 2. Letterheads and Stationary In a day and age when so much communication happens by email and texting, the traditional letter stands out, even in a mail pile full of folders and generic material. Best used when conveying a personal connection, professional letterhead is loved by co...

If you're looking for a way to boost the results of your print marketing, integrate your next campaign expand your reach with Instagram! Instagram is a cost-effective marketing tool that houses many resources to help your business grow. As the second most accessed network behind Facebook, with 1 billion monthly active users, Instagram boasts highly engaged users, browsing an average of 53 minutes per day. Instagram can be a handy tool if you’re trying to reach ages 18-44, as 45% of Instagram users are within this age group.  4 Tips to Get Your Business Started on Instagram Before initiating an Instagram business profile, it’s important to develop a marketing strategy. 1. Know Your Why. Why do you want your business on Instagram? For example, are you there to sell products, share portfolio content, build brand awareness, share user-generated content, and/or use Instagram’s analytic tools? When you discover your why, you’ll have a beneficial fr...

Networking is an invaluable, inexpensive, and effective tool for building your business. Despite the digital age, people prefer doing business with companies they know and trust. Networking provides potential clients the connection and trust they need to later make a purchase. According to Oxford Economics USA , 80% of professionals find networking essential to their career success. Because of this, 41% want to network more often. Networking may seem daunting, especially for those not naturally inclined to talk with others, but a little uncomfortableness outweighs the benefits. A First and Lasting Impression Before getting started, it’s important to look the part. First impressions are important. After all, people are constantly judging and forming opinions of others. Once the initial opinion is made, it can be challenging to alter it. Before networking, practice creating a good impression. This means focusing on a professional style of dress, creating good posture, pr...

There’s nothing better than the feel of a well-constructed catalog, brochure, or invite. After all, no one wants to be handed a pamphlet that crumples because the paper quality is not up to par. This is why choosing the right paper for your print marketing projects is more important than you might think. Choosing Your Paper Type There are many different kinds of paper to choose from for your print projects. These vary in composition, design, weight, and thickness. Gloss vs. Matte Choosing whether to use gloss or matte paper is one of the most common choices when picking out paper. Gloss paper has an incredibly high shine that enhances color. Matte , on the other hand, has a muted surface that refracts light and reduces glare. It has a textured, soft feel compared to a gloss, which has a sleek and almost sticky feel. Uncoated vs. Coated If you’re looking to achieve enhanced colors and a matte or glossy finish, coated paper would be a paper choice for you. C...

Direct mail offers results that other channels just can't match. According to a recent study, direct mail has a response rate as high as 9% . However, there are always ways to engage your audience better and improve your mailers' effectiveness. These methods below catch your recipents' attention and increase the chances that they'll read and respond to your direct mail piece.  6 Winning Direct Mail Campaigns 1. Instill Curiosity with a Quiz Do you worry your direct mail envelopes are going in the trash unread? Take a page from Harvard Medical School's playbook. In a recent mailing to woo subscribers for their Harvard Heart Letter newsletter, they put a heart health quiz on the front. The answers to the three-question quiz were inside the mailer, giving recipients a reason to open. 2. Benefits, Not Features As marketers, it's so easy to get caught up in promoting all the neat features of your product. Your readers, however, don't care about th...

Have you ever heard the expression, “a picture paints a thousand words?” It’s true. While words can limit our ability to effectively communicate ideas, even a split-second glance at an image can convey volumes of information. Whether you’re a marketer or design specialist, it is important to employ tactics that add power and clarity to your communication. Creating Dynamic Images with a Singular Focus Experienced graphic artists have many tricks of the trade. Some like to blur the background of an image to draw central focus to one element. Others add texture to flat graphics by adding bevels, text shadows, or blended layers. But on an even more conceptual level, you can communicate boldly and clearly with signs and symbols. Looking to simplify – while adding complexity? Here three techniques you can experiment with in print marketing to amplify your visual messages: Signs On a basic level, signs are the combination of a word and a picture to cre...

When you want to flaunt your finest, large-format printing can make an oversized impact! Large-format printing includes products printed at a length of 18-100 inches with a minimum width of 60 inches. Some of the most popular items include posters, window graphics, yard signs, vehicle wraps, vinyl banners, media backdrops, and more. While large-scale graphics are stunning, these projects require special preparation, so these images remain vibrant and sharp when stretched to larger-than-life proportions. If you plan to go BIG, here are some factors to consider. Communicate from the Start When diving in on a large-scale printing, create a detailed brief and use this to speak to your printer as early as possible. Try to include everything from the size, design, materials, and deadlines. Your printer will work with you to be sure your ideas are achievable, and the timeline is realistic. Set Appropriate Image Specifications As you connect with a printer, be sure your images ...

Do you ever find pleasure in the chiming of a grandfather clock or in honking geese as they migrate for the winter? Repetition is therapeutic. Rituals provide structure and something to hold on to, and they free us from the tyranny of choices and chaos. Repetition can help complicated pieces of music, movies, or books reveal the depths of their richness. And repetition in design adds consistency, beauty, and unity. Strong designs repeat some aspect or element throughout the entire piece. The recurring element may be a bold font, a thick line, a snappy bullet icon, a repeating color or page layout, or anything that a reader will visually recognize. From business cards to complex multi-page booklets, subtle repetition is a visual cue that ties every piece together. Want to be more intentional in your repetitive elements? Here are some options to try: Headlines and Subheads All text starts somewhere, and text banners are a perfect way to add graphic unity. Are all the headli...

Imagine a college campus on a warm fall day, as freshmen are moving into the dorms for the first time. There are loads of students buzzing around and getting settled. As they unpack and get their bearings in a new community, many realize they’ve forgotten a lamp or shelf to make their dorm room a bit cozier. No problem! A strategic, targeted digital ad whisks across their screen on move-in day. Two days later, a mailed piece is sent featuring lamps, rugs, and closet accessories. This venue's campaign (a combination of digital and print marketing) snags interest in a fleeting moment then follows this digital hook with a more robust mailed piece. The Successful Marriage of Digital and Print Print marketing is powerful. Digital marketing is powerful. When you combine them... well, the result is dynamic.   Want to create a more strategic relationship between your print and digital marketing efforts? Here are four strategies to build momentum: 1. Create Distinct Online...

Trust builds confidence. That is why a strong corporate brand identity can make or break a business. Brand identity is more than key values or approved color palettes; it is the collection of all elements that a company creates to portray the right image to its consumer. Here is one helpful way to describe it: Brand identity is the image or character of your business as people relate to it. For example, the BMW image of elite luxury has grown naturally from customers’ repeated exposure to BMW’s ads, endorsements, and products. Brand imagery is the aesthetic appearance of your brand’s core identity and messaging. This results from all the visuals (from billboards, print ads, or product packaging) that represent your brand’s identity. When a company has a strong brand, it is easily recognized, which grows people’s trust. Trust builds confidence, and confidence begets loyalty. When a business has built superiority in a particular niche, repeat custom...

Does your brain ever feel tired? Some days, that’s probably due to information overload. Today, researchers estimate we are exposed to over 5,000 brands per day or around 600-625 ads per person . If you add in pop-ups and YouTube ads, who knows how high the number may soar! But amidst the explosion of digital advertising, industry reports remind us that print holds steady. 70% of Americans prefer to read on paper, and 67% prefer printed materials over digital. Additionally, 55% of consumers say they trust print marketing more than any other advertising messages. Want to evoke emotions with your next masterpiece? Draw from three creative examples of print ads that recently stole the show. C&A: The Real “Like” Leaderboard Nothing builds excitement like a little competition! In a partnership with Microsoft and Tim (one of Brazil's biggest fashion retailers), C&A created an interactive print advertising campaign to engage clients and collect feedback on...

What is the value of a customer? What profit can they bring this week? This year? Over a lifetime? It may seem like a simple concept, but many small businesses have no idea what a regular customer is worth to their business. This creates two problems: 1. Ambivalence about customer retention. Many businesses are uncertain about how much to spend on customer retention. With a metric for measuring customer values, you can navigate appropriate parameters for retaining these people or expanding their business. Research shows that increasing customer retention rates by merely 5% increases profits by 25% to 95% ! 2. Uncertainty about effective marketing. What is the number of new customers you’d like to attract, and what is an appropriate budget to do that? Defining customer value will guide your marketing strategies. When acquiring new customers, estimating Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) provides a way to estimate their future revenue contribution to your company and how to use...

If a picture paints a thousand words, then brand imagery is one of the most dynamic means for communicating with your customers. From stained-glass church windows to the world-renowned Nike swoosh, images add immediacy, power, and clarity to your ideas, with a transformative effect on a brand’s overall impact. Colors and graphic metaphors have surprising staying power, so it’s important to consider every element you include in your brand imagery. Brand Identity vs. Brand Imagery So, what is the difference between brand identity and brand imagery? Brand identity is the image or character of your business as people relate to it. For example, the BMW image of elite luxury has grown naturally from customers’ repeated exposure to BMW’s ads, endorsements, and products. Brand imagery is the aesthetic appearance of your brand’s core identity and messaging. This is a result of all the visuals that represent your brand’s identity. These visuals may in...

Do you have a favorite catalog? In days past, the Sears Christmas edition or the Lana Lobell fashion catalogs were the birthplace of many shopping addictions. But though these nostalgic beauties hold a special place in many hearts, catalogs certainly haven’t disappeared from today’s marketing landscape. Companies like L.L. Bean, Ikea, J. Crew, and Athleta continue to dominate sales through the distribution of printed catalogs. And people enjoy reading them. According to USPS, 47% of people set aside catalogs to read later, and 84% of consumers said they genuinely enjoyed receiving unexpected catalogs from places they had previously shopped. Enthusiasm has soared – response rates from catalogs has increased 170% from 2004 to 2018!  Using Hard Copy Catalogs in Your Omnichannel Marketing With a decrease in printed mail, today’s paper catalog is primarily a marketing tool – one of maximum potential during the holiday season. The most sophistic...

In a noisy marketplace, businesses must work smarter to grab prospects and lock in loyalty. But the desire for relationship is mutual. According to Cheetah Mobile marketing director Josh Ong, customers don’t just want to buy, they want to buy into something: “Millennials are more likely than any other demographic to be brand loyal. But millennials don’t choose which brand to be loyal to at random, instead, they are highly attuned to the story that a brand tells, as well as the values that brand exhibits.” No one can resist a good story! Need proof? Here’s a fun brand story from eyewear retailer Warby Parker : Warby was founded as a rebellious upstart to tackle the problem of expensive eyewear because of a frustrating personal experience. During a backpacking trip, one of Warby’s founders lost his glasses. Since he was a broke grad student, he couldn’t afford to replace them, and he spent the rest of the semester squinting. By circumven...

With the oldest of Generation Z graduating and entering the workforce, it’s time to set your sights on this powerful consumer demographic. Who are these Gen Z individuals, and what is the most effective way to reach them? While many media companies have written them off as “screen addicts,” Gen Z is actually very nimble, engaged, and unique. Here are a few facts to consider: As of 2020, Gen Z makes up more than 40% of U.S. consumers. Born after 1996 , most members of this generation are not yet old enough to vote. Generation Z represents the leading edge of the country’s changing racial and ethnic makeup. 52% are non-Hispanic white, 25% are Hispanic, 14% are black, 6% are Asian. Gen Z logs on to social media for roughly two hours and 55 minutes each day. This is almost an hour longer than the average millennial. Want to engage younger prospects? Here are five tips to consider: 1. Diverse images are extremely impactful Gen Z has a natural awar...

Have you exited a bathroom without realizing there was toilet paper on your shoe? Or awkwardly tried to make conversation with someone who had food on their face? Whether someone is clumsy in conversation or they have really bad breath, a lack of self-awareness can profoundly hinder their reputation or influence. Success Starts in Relationships What is self-awareness? Self-awareness involves being aware of different aspects of the self: including traits, behaviors, appearance, and feelings. Researchers find two areas of self-awareness to be especially important in leadership: Internal self-awareness:  This represents how clearly you see your values, passions, aspirations, fit with your environment, reactions (including thoughts, feelings, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses), and impact on others. Internal self-awareness is associated with higher job and relationship satisfaction, personal and social control, and happiness. It is negatively related to anxiety, stress,...

Who doesn’t love a good party?  As we move toward year-end holiday gatherings, many of us look forward to gathering with friends and family. However, a party is only successful if people actually COME, and most people attend for one primary reason -- they were invited! Attractive Envelopes Invite People to “Come on In”  The same principle is true in business.  A mailing is only as effective as its response rate, and an envelope serves as a great invitation to dig deeper. Custom envelopes are a simple tool that dramatically increases reader response. In a world of distraction, envelopes serve as a soft introduction, inviting people to “come on in” and experience more of what you have to offer. Thoughtful, creative envelopes will entice people to dial into (and not discard!) the message you have carefully crafted. Do you want to expand your business by reaching new prospects? Current direct mail statistics are exciting! The 2018 Direc...

Although postcards are one of today’s beloved print pieces, they had a humble beginning. The earliest postcard dates back to 1840 when an English man named Theodore Hook sent one to himself. By 1861, the US Congress allowed privately printed cards, weighing one ounce or under, to be sent through the mail. That year, John P. Charlton copyrighted the first postcard, and by 1901 postcards were a regular part of mailed communication. Generate Huge Exposure with Just One Mailing Fast forward a century.  Postcards are now an essential marketing option for many businesses, and with good reason. These versatile tools represent a huge opportunity for companies that do it right. And the results are compelling. One real estate agent makes $5,000 to $20,000 in commissions every time she runs a direct mail campaign. A Texas dentist added six figures in new revenue thanks to one mailing. And a financial services firm spent a few thousand dollars to net dozens of new clients with...

Several years ago, a truck driver tried to pass under a low bridge. Underestimating the truck height, the driver became firmly lodged under the bridge, unable to move his vehicle forward or backward. Emergency workers and city engineers gathered onsite, debating whether they should dismantle the truck or chip away parts of the bridge. Each proposed a solution most aligned with their area of expertise. Just then, a boy walked by, observed the intense debate, and made a casual comment. “Why not just let the air out of the tires?” When the solution was tested, the truck squeezed forward with ease, suffering only slight damage to his cab. The specialists were amazed at the solution and also by the fact that they were initially blind to an answer a child could easily recognize.  A Human-Centric Way of Thinking This story symbolizes the struggles we face when the most obvious solutions are hard to recognize. That’s just one reason strategic design thinking h...